Floor or wall covering and method of making the same



Nov. 28, 1950 w. ROWE 2,532,196

FLOOR OR WALL COVERING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 17, 1948INVENTOR. M/biwm" zen e ATTOR/V h Patented Nov. 28, 1 950 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FLOOR OR WALL COVERING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME tionof Maine Application February 17, 1948, Serial No. 8,843

7 Claims. 1

. This invention relates to a floor or wall covel and to t e m thod ofmaking the same.

One object of the invention is to produce a novel and superior coatedsheet which finds par? ticular use as a wall or floor covering and fordesk and sink tops, possessing superior resist anc to al a il and ease.h ch is dura l and water resistant, and which may be produced in a widevariety of colors in a simple, economical and practical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficientmethod for the economical manufacture of the present coated sheet.

.With these general objects in view, and such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the coated sheet and in the method ofmaking the same hereinafter described and particularly defined in theclaims at the end of this specification. In the drawing, Fig. 1 is avertical sectional View of a coated sheet embodying the invention; andFig. 2 is a diagrammatic yiew in side elevav tion of the preferredapparatus, which may be employed in practicing the present method, ofmaking the improved coated sheet.

Coated sheets suitable for wall and floor coverings utilizing vegetableoils and various saponifiable pitches, such as cottonseed pitch togetherwith other resinous materials and suitable fillers and pigments, havebeen heretofore manufactured and sold. These coated sheet materials havebeen produced by processes which include first the blending of thesaponifiable pitches with natural or synthetic resins utilizingtemperatures varying from 300 F. to 500 F. in order to secure the properblending, Because of the relatively high temperatures required for theblending operation, the range of pigments available which were able towithstand such relatively high temperatures is relatively narrow,limiting to some extent the variety of color effects obtainable in thecoated sheet material. In producing the prior art coated saturated feltstrips of a width of about three feet were coated with these pitchresincompositions and lengths of approximately fifty to one hundred feet wereloosely rolled and stored upon end in warehouses to cure at roomtemperature for several Weeks to several months. This method ofmanufacture placed certain limits upon the coatings and. their hardnessin order that the contact between the surface and back of the rolledcoated felt should result in minimum damage and marking of the surfaceof the. coat ing, In commercial practice it was found that the pitchresin compositions were required to 2, have relatively high meltingpoints, usually from 180 F. (B & R) to 230 F. (B 8: R) and a penetrationof from five to twenty (A. S. T. M.) in order. to permit the goods to behandled without ex cessive marring during the curing operation.

From the foregoing brief description of prior? practice, it will beobserved that the prior art operations have been time consuming and thatthe product because of its saponifiable nature did not possess thedesired resistance to alkali and oil.

I have discovered that a superior coated sheet may be produced bycoating a base sheet such as a saturated felt sheet with a coating,composi tion having as i s prin pal ingredients a dryin pi ch of vetable, animal or marine origin, or c mbin tions thereof, and which mayand pref? r ly wi comp se linseed or cottonse d pitch. together with andpreferably blended with a visc0148 pe rol um, product on n prin ally ofpolymerized olifinio hydrocarbons characterized by a high degree ofunsaturation, an iodine number of at least (W) and being substantiallynon acidic and non saponifiable in nature. This blended coatingcomposition may and preferably will have embodied thereinsuitablepigments and filling material to impart color and body there.- to. Thecoating composition may be applied to the base sheet at a temperature offrom 200 to 300 F. by suitable means such as by doctor ades or rolls,and after application may be subqu ntly cured in hea ed racks in arelatively short period of time, as for example from two to five days ata moderate temperature of from to 200 F. The low temperature at whichblending may be carried out enables a Wide range of pigments to be used,including those which otherwise would be unable to stand the hightemperatures heretofore employed in producing comparable coatingcompositions. The present method of manufacturing the coated sheets en!ables substantially greater Width of material to be coated and handledthan has heretofore been possible beQllSG of the ease with which thecoated. sheets may be cured.

The coated sheets have been found particus larlyresistant to acids,alkalies, mineral oil, and household fats, whereas all of the comparableprior products of which I am aware c mpris ng coated sheets utilizingthe, drying pitches an in: gredient of the coating composition offerlittle resistance whenexposed .to alkal or mineral oil. The presentproduct also offers remarhable re-i sistano to wear, parti ularlyunder-h avy tr ffic...

Referring now to the drawing. the present coated sheet may comprise anysuitable base material such as a fabric either woven or felted, and inpractice for the production of commercial wall and fioor coverings Iprefer to utilize a saturated felt of the type now used in theproduction of commercial roofing or floor covering sheets and which isusually saturated with asphalt or bituminous material to impart waterand weather resistance thereto. The base is provided with a surfacecoating produced by blending a drying pitch or drying oil with anunsaturated petroleum product of the type above referred to andcomprising polymerized olifinic hydrocarbons. Sufficient finely dividedfiller material and pigment are preferably incorporated to impart therequisite body and color to the coating composition for the productionof the commercial coated sheet.

In producing the present coating composition for application to thecoated sheet I prefer to blend the drying oil or pitch and theunsaturated petroleum resinous product in mixing tanks it, Hi providedwith the usual heatin and mixing facilities and have found that atemperature in the neighborhood of 200 F. to 300 F, is sufficient toeffect the complete blending of the pitch and the petroleum polymer. Thefiller and coloring material are introduced into the mixin tanks afterthe pitch and polymer have been thus blended, and from the mixing tankthe hot mix is pumped through a pipe line to be delivered in front ofdoctor rolls 20, 22 and upon the upper surface of the saturated feltstrip 24 that is unwound from the supply roll 20 thereof and conductedthrough the doctor rolls 20, 22. The upper doctor roll is preferablyheated and the lower roll is at a temperature somewhat lower than theupper roll and the sheet is drawn through the rolls by and around adriven cooling drum 30 where water is preferably sprayed directly uponthe upper surface of the sheet to reduce the temperature thereof to apoint where the sheet is ready to be introduced to drying racks 32 of adrying chamber 3d. The latter is maintained by suitable heatingapparatus indicated generally at 36 at from 150 to 200 F. and it hasbeen found that a period of two to five days is sufficient to completelycure the coated sheet.

The present coating composition embodying the drying pitch and thecompatible unsaturated petroleum polymer above described possesses thesuperior characteristics above referred to which render it particularlysuitable for use in the prodid not exceed 1.0. The iodine numbers ofthese polymers varied from 80 up and in general ranged between 100 and200.

These unsaturated olifinic hydrocarbon polymers may be obtained upon theopen market from all of the major oil companies, some being produced byprocesses which have been kept secret and others being sold undervarious trade names.

The following examples indicate the characteristics of a petroleumpolymer which may be used in producing the present coated sheet. Apolymer obtained on the open market from Enjay Co. 1110., New York, NewYork, is represented by the producer to be a heat reactive aromatic-typeolifinic hydrocarbon polymer which is produced during refining ofpetroleum and is highly unsaturated and dries by both oxidation andpolymerization. Its physical properties include The polymer may beconsidered a short oil length resin, and it will be observed that thesaponification value and the acid number of each are extremely low sothat upon subsequent dispersion with the pigments which may be used tocolor the coating composition no reaction takes place between thepolymer and the pigments.

Example 2.The Advance Solvents Chemical Corporation, New York,manufactures and markets a polymer of the type which may be successfullyused in producing the present coating composition and coated sheet andwhich is derived from selectively extracted petroleum products and is ofan unsaturated heat reactive nature. The specific gravity at F. was1.028 and the bromine value from to 85'. The sample tested had nosaponification or acid value.

Example 3.The Shell Oil Company, San Francisco, California, markets anumber of complex dark amber colored hydrocarbons which are unsaturatedand of a predominantly aromatic structure. These hydrocarbons atordinary temperatures range from viscous liquids to low softening pointresins and the unsaturated nature of the hydrocarbons permits oxidationand the formulation of non-volatile films. A typical analysis of suchhydrocarbons is as follows:

Polymer l Polymer 2 Polymer 3 Polymer 4 Polymer 5 SP Gravity 20/O./4Iodine No. (Wijs) Acid No saponification Nor Av. Molecular Weightsaponification and acid values of these unsaturated petroleum polymersof the character described are relatively low, the saponificationnumbers of many being in the neighborhood of 1.0, and on the averagenever exceeding 5, while the Example 4.The Pure Oil Company, of Chicago,Illinois, markets an unsaturated viscous liquid of petroleum originpossessing drying properties similar to so-called drying oils andclassified chemically as being composed principally of polymerizedolifinic hydrocarbons. It has the following approximate specifications:

Specific gravity 60/60 F 0.993 Iodine No. (Wijs modified) (minimum) 200Saponification No (maximum) 1.0 Molecular weight (approximately) 300 Theabove examples are illustrative of the various commercially obtainableunsaturated olifinic average acid numbers of the many samples testedhydrocarbon polymers suitable for use in accordthee with the presentinvention; it being. understood I that such polymers: may be obtained;from any ofthe: larger oil refining companies.

i Forproducing 1a coating composition which 1' may be applied inthemannerabove described I to a base such as asaturated felt, in ordertoproixduce the present coated sheet I prefer touutilize amajor proportionof a drying pitchisuch @as .cottonseedpitch and a minor but substantialproportion of the unsaturatedlpetroleum. hydrocarbon polymer of thecharacter above set forth. The ratio of pitch to polymer in the vehiclemay be varied over a-large range. For example, the polymer may comprisefrom to 50% of the vehicle by weight. The ratio of vehicle to combinedfiller and pigment may also be varied over a wide range. Particularlysatisfactory results have been experienced with compositions in whichthe ratios of vehicle to filler Cfilleriand pigment) vary between. i tol and 1 to -3.

In blending the pitch and polymerfitis preflferred to utilize .a greaterproportion of polymer llwith 'those pitches having smaller dryingcharacteristics. While it is preferred to utilize cottonseed and linseedpitches, other pitches may be used, such as tall oil pitch, and also inmany instances mixtures of various known and commercially availablevegetable and/or marine pitches may be used. If required, plasticizersmay be incorporated in any of the foregoing compositions to control theplasticity thereof and such plasticizers as the non-drying, semi ordrying oils (for example-castor oil, soya bean oil, dehydrated castoroil) and other known and commercially available chemical plasticizersmay be used.

One of the advantages of the present invention resides in the fact thatthe blending or compounding of the pitch and polymer may be accomplishedat substantially lower temperatures than have been heretofore required,and accordingly this differential in required temperature enablesvarious pigments to be incorporated in the composition without liabilityof their decomposing and losing their color holding capacity. Amongthose pigments may be mentioned synthetic or natural iron oxides, red,yellow, black; carbon black, chrome yellow, chrome orange, Molybdateorange, zinc yellow, iron blue, Ultramarine blue, Phthalocyanine blueand green, Indanthrine blue, chrome green, chrome oxide, Toluidine red,Phospho-Tungstic acid blue and green, organic yellows consisting of theBenzidine and Hansa types.

The eiTect of the unsaturated polymer in modifying the dryingcharacteristics of the drying pitch as compared to prior comparablecoating compositions can best be appreciated by consideration of thefact that heretofore other products have required several weeks toseveral months at room temperature, whereas the present prod uct may becured in from 2 to 5 days in a heated rack or oven at a temperaturevarying from 150 to 200 F.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A coated sheet comprising a base sheet covered with a coatingcomposition comprising the blended product resulting from heating at atemperature not exceeding 300 F. a drying oil pitch and a viscouspetroleum polymer having a molecular weight between 200 and 600 andconsisting principally of polymerized olifinic hydrocarbonscharacterized by a high degree of unsaturation, and an iodine number ofbetween 80 and 200 and being substantially":tnon-a'cid andanonsaponifiable, said blended product being substantially free fromvulcanizing agents and being capable ofircuring with more rapidity thanthe dryin pitch; andisbeing :highly resistant .to moi-sture,acids,1a1kalies and mineral oils.

-2.11'A1 coated sheet comprising a base sheetcovered' with a coatincomposition co-mprisingothe blended product' resulting'from heatingat'ai teml0 perature not exceeding 300 Fqa drying to pitch and a viscouspetroleum. polymer having a molecular weight-between 200 and 600 andconsisting principally of. polymerized olifinic hydrocarfl bons.characterized by a higlr'degree of unsatui ration nandl an iodinenumber of betweenand 200 and'rbeing, substantially a non-acid and inonsaponifiable, saidblendedr product being substandrying pitch andbeinglhighly'resistant tomo'isture, acids, alkaliesand mineral oils.

3. A coated sheet comprising abasesheetcovered with a coatingcomposition comprising the blended product resulting from heating at atemperature not exceeding 300 F. a drying oil pitch of vegetable originand a viscous petroleum polymer having a molecular weight between 200and 600 and consisting principally of polymerized olifinic hydrocarbonscharacterized by a high degree of unsaturation, and an iodine number ofbetween 80 and 200 and being substantially nonacid and non-saponifiable,said blended product being substantially free from vulcanizing agentsand being capable of curing with more rapidity than the drying pitch,and being highly resistant to moisture, acids, alkalies and mineraloils.

4. A coated sheet comprising a base sheet covered with a coatincomposition comprising the blended product resulting from heating at atemperature not exceeding 300 F. a drying oil pitch and a viscouspetroleum polymer having a molecular weight between 200 and 600 and inthe ratio of polymer to pitch of from 10 to 50%, said polymer consistingprincipally of polymerized olifinic hydrocarbons characterized by a highdegree of unsaturation, and an iodine number of between 80 and 200 andbeing substantially non-acid and non-saponifiable, said blended productbeing substantially free from vulcanizing agents and being capable ofcuring with more rapidity than the drying pitch, and being highlyresistant to moisture, acids, alkalies and mineral oils.

5. A coated sheet comprising a base sheet covered with a coatingcomposition comprising the blended product resulting from heating at atemperature not exceeding 300 F. a drying oil pitch and a viscouspetroleum polymer having a molecular weight between 200 and 600 andconsisting principally of polymerized olifinic hydrocarbonscharacterized by a high degree of unsaturation, and an iodine number ofbetween 80 and 200 and being substantially non-acid andnon-saponifiable, said blended product being substantially free fromvulcanizing agents and being capable of curing with more rapidity thanthe drying pitch, and being highly resistant to moisture, acids,alkalies and mineral oils, and a sufiicient proportion of filler toimpart the desired stiffness to the blended product, the ratio ofpolymer to pitch being within the range of from 10 to 50% by weight andthe ratio of vehieie to filler being within the rangeof from1to1andlto3.

6. A coated sheet comprising a base sheet covered with a coatingcomposition comprisin the blended product resulting from heating at atemperature not exceeding 300 F. a drying oil pitch and a viscouspetroleum polymer having a molecular weight between 200 and 600 andconsisting principally of polymerized olifinic hydrocarbonscharacterized by a high degree of unsaturation,- and an iodine number ofbetween 80 and 200 and being substantially non-acid andnon-saponifiable, and havin a substantial quantity of fillerincorporated therein, said blended product being substantially free fromvulcanizing agents and being capable of curing with more rapidity thanthe drying pitch, and being highly resistant to moisture, acids,alkalies and mineral oils, the ratio of polymer to pitch being withinthe range of from 10 to 50% by weight and the ratio of vehicle to fillerbeing within the range of from 1 to 1 and 1 to 3.

7. The method of making a coated sheet which comprises applying to abase sheet a coating composition substantiallyfree from vulcanizi ng'agents comprising a blend of a drying oil pitch and a viscous petroleumpolymer having a molecular weight between 200 and 600 and consistingprincipally of unsaturated polymerized olifinic hydrocarbons and havinan iodine number of between 80 and 200, then cooling the sheet andintroducing the sheet into a heated chamber maintained at a temperaturebetween 150 and 200 F. for a period of from 2 to 5 days.

' WILLIAM ROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,669,491 Savage May 15, 19282,039,366 Thomas May 5, 1936 2,106,792 Bruce Feb. 1, 1938 2,295,070Allen Sept. 8, 1942 2,330,798 Chittich Oct. 5, 1943 2,436,456 Soday Feb.24, 1948

1. A COATED SHEET COMPRISING A BASE SHEET COVERED WITH A COATINGCOMPOSITION COMPRISING THE BLENDED PRODUCT RESULTING FROM HEATING AT ATEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING 300*F. A DRYING OIL PITCH AND A VISCOUSPETROLEUM POLYMER HAVING A MOLECULAR WEIGHT BETWEEN 200 AND 600 ANDCONSISTING PRINCIPALLY OF POLYMERIZED OLIFINIC HYDROCARBONSCHARACTERIZED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF UNSATURATION, AND AN IODINE NUMBER OFBETWEEN 80 AND 200 AND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY NON-ACID AND NONSAPONIFIABLE,SAID BLENDED PRODUCT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM VULCANIZING AGENTSAND BEING CAPABLE OF CURING WITH MORE RAPIDITY THAN THE DRYING PITCH,AND BEING HIGHLY RESISTNT TO MOISTURE, ACIDS, ALKALIES AND MINERAL OILS.